Founded in 2005, the Silmarillion Writers' Guild exists for discussions of and creative fanworks based on J.R.R. Tolkien's The Silmarillion and related texts. We are a positive-focused and open-minded space that welcomes fans from all over the world and with all levels of experience with Tolkien's works. Whether you are picking up Tolkien's books for the first time or have been a fan for decades, we welcome you to join us!
New Challenge: Potluck Bingo Sit down to a delicious selection of prompts served on bingo boards, created by the SWG community.
Bingo Cards Wanted for Potluck Bingo Our November-December challenge will be Potluck Bingo, featuring cards created by you! If you'd like to create cards or prompts for cards, we are taking submissions.
Tolkien Meta Week, December 8-14 We will be hosting a Tolkien Meta Week in December, here on the archive and on our Tumblr, for nonfiction fanworks about Tolkien.
New Challenge: Orctober Orcs on a quest for freedom seek a place sheltered and safe from the Dark Lord. Fulfill prompts to gather the clues needed to bring them to freedom.
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
Created for the 'Geography/Maps/Places' prompt on the "Tolkien meta" bingo board, this is a collection of maps marked with the various people groups showing how they arrived and moved about Beleriand. This collection focuses specifically on the time from the arrival of the Teleri, Vanyar, and…
This is an analysis on whether the Sindar ate the Petty-dwarves during the years they hunted them, completed for the 'Literary Analysis' prompt on the "Tolkien Meta" bingo card.
Current Challenge
Potluck Bingo
Help yourself to a collection of prompts on bingo boards designed by members and friends of the SWG. Read more ...
Random Challenge
Start to Finish
Choose one of the famous first lines from the list below and use it to start your story. If you are creating a fanwork other than writing, you may use one of the first lines to inspire your fanwork. Read more ...
A series of articles featuring fan-made maps of all the lands of Arda. Part III explores the island of Númenor and mainland Middle-earth during the Second Age.
A reworking of the 2018 article for Long Live Feedback that includes data from the 2020 Tolkien Fanfiction Survey, pointing to a lack of comments as related to skill, confidence, and community connection.
Part of our Themed Collection series for our newsletter, this collection features fiction, artwork, and essays that transcend the idea of Orcs as the enemy, instead considering their humanity.
He and Diamond were visiting, though Pippin had been disappearing every afternoon, and taking Frodo and Elanor and most other lads and lasses in the neighborhood with him—though why they couldn’t use Pippin’s own pony, Sam couldn’t imagine.
Lord of the Rings Secret Santa 2024
LotR SESA has been ongoing for twenty-one years and is running again this year as a prompt meme hosted on AO3 for all genres of Tolkien-based fanfiction.
Kiliel Week 2024
Kiliel Week is a Tumblr event for fanworks about the Kili/Tauriel pairing.
November challenge at tolkienshortfanworks
The challenge for November has been posted to the tolkienshortfanworks community on Dreamwidth. Thematic prompt: refuge. Formal challenge: include imitation of a sound. As always, these can be filled independently and also freely combined with SWG and other challenges. New participants welcome!
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.
I love this! It's such a wonderful little scene, and a great study of both characters and their relationship, and their hopes and dreams and fears. The foreshadowing for both is really well done--it really hurts to think of what's to come for both of them, especially in the face of Finwe's optimism!
Thank you! Foreshadowing with Silmfic is just too tempting for me to resist. I enjoyed thinking about the dynamic these two would have this early in their relationship. I love that Tolkien says they were friends.
Just popping another comment here to add that apart from the story and theme, their interaction and intimacy, which generate a depth of feeling and not a few thoughts, I so love all the little details that make it so alive, so visible and multidimensional.
Oh goodness, I'm so spoiled by your lovely comments. Have yet to reply to AO3 because you left so many thoughts, but thank you so much for coming over here to drop a note also <3
I really enjoyed reading about their close relationship and their thoughts about love and having children. A lot of foreboding in this fic, but neither of them really can see how it will go for them.
There is so much dramatic irony in their conversation, especially towards the end, but it doesn't take away from how movingly their friendship is described in the present moment.
Thanks so much! I am glad the relationship between them came through, as, despite my love of irony, that was intended as the main focus. I appreciate the comment!
Thanks so much! Unfortunately I can't help but read poor Finwe as a little naive. I fee like he would have made different choices if his foresight interpretation skills had been a little better... one would hope at least. And I like the contrast with Thingol, who is maybe a little too cynical about his foresight, contributing to the canonical suspicion and fear.
I love to imagine how the Elves have lived at Cuivinien and their tradition before the Valar came, this really sparked my imagination, expecially where you were talking about the homes on the bay. I loved that image!
Comments
The Silmarillion Writers' Guild is more than just an archive--we are a community! If you enjoy a fanwork or enjoy a creator's work, please consider letting them know in a comment.